72 Days
by FlameConsumes
Summary: After beating Sasuke and getting the Sharingan from him, Naruto is met with a dying Hinata. He still has not responded to her confession, and it looks like he never will. Desperate times call for desperate measures, but will they even help?
1. A Chance We Never Had

"It didn't have to end like this, Sasuke." Naruto said with a grim face. He stood above Sasuke, who lay on the soggy ground. The body below bled slowly, and quivered with every breath.

Sasuke spat out blood that rested within his mouth. He coughed, and opened his eyes to stare at Naruto. Red blazed from his eyes, but without the rage they once held.

"It is done. What has happened can't be changed." He said.

"That's awfully accepting, Mr. Avenger." Naruto replied.

"I've come to see death's door, and I realize how futile it would be to deny the Reaper. He already has his hands around my soul."

"You're incredibly poetic for a man who will soon close his eyes for a dreamless sleep."

Sasuke's eyes closed, allowing him to think as clearly as he could. His mouth then turned upward into an inconspicuous smirk. He opened his eyes back up, and looked at Naruto with anxious eyes.

"They don't have to, Naruto."

"I swear, if you pull some mystical almighty power out of your ass that saves your life I am going to kill you faster than before."

Sasuke gave a hearty laugh, as loud as his dying body could muster, and clarified his words.

"Take them with you. Use them as your own. My body will lie but my eyes will still look upon the world. They also have abilities you may find useful. Do this for me, brother."

Naruto's eyes widened a small amount, surprised by Sasuke's use of a term he supposedly dashed away many years ago.

"I suppose I could, brother." Naruto said with an awkward smile, "What kind of techniques?"

Sasuke took time to describe the techniques then sat there peacefully until death grasped the last of his life. Naruto watched his friends last breaths with a sad smile.

Naruto stood on top of a hill that was near the area where their final clash ended. He looked straight at Sasuke's sword that was stabbed into the ground, with a slashed headband tied around its handle. This was Sasuke's recently crafted grave, and Naruto looked at it through his new eyes. He turned away from the grave and walked away and towards home.

He had barely passed the main gate before he was immediately confronted by a frantic Sakura. He was suprised to see her, because she usually had work at the hospital at that time.

"Naruto! Quick, Hinata's been hospitalized!"

"What? How'd that happen?"

"She was on a mission that turned south, and the ANBU found her on the outskirts. She's in critical condition."

"What are we waiting for, then? Let's go!"

Tubes stuck into her and machines beeped around her in an annoying pattern. A mask surrounded her lower face and supplied her with oxygen. Medic nins surrounded the area around her, and Tsunade commanded them all.

"Lady, her condition is worsening!"

"Stabilize her to the best of your ability."

"Nothing were doing seems to be working. If she doesn't stabilize soon, she's not going to make it. "

Naruto looked into the room through the wide glass window. Worry ran through his body. He did not want to lose a second friend today. Especially her, he still had not responded to her confession of love for him. He just had been too preoccupied with finding Sasuke and rebuilding after the invasion.

Naruto swallowed air, and looked at Hinata's unconscious form on the operating table. This could be last time that he would see her alive.

He shook his head wildly after that thought, trying to launch it out of his head. It was no use though, as the outcome was not looking favorable for Hinata.

He was taken out of his thoughts by a firm hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Tsunade with a serious face.

"I can't do anything for her, and her condition is getting progressively worse. She's awake now, and now seems to be the best to say goodbye. Her family and friends are coming soon, but you're already here.

Naruto walked up to Hinata bedside slowly, and looked into her halfway opened eyes. His heart sank. This girl never even had a chance. They never had a chance! The one girl who actually said she loved him was going to die, and Naruto acted upon nothing.

Naruto clenched his fists in anger, and searched for a remedy for the situation. There were no magical techniques that Sasuke was so good at pulling out of his ass here. Naruto paused his thinking and his eyes widened. He remembered one of the techniques that Sasuke had described to him earlier in the day. He closed his eyes and focused inward.

The fox say in its cage and watched the boy walk towards the structure, a fierce determination was shown in his eyes. The fox glared at his jailor's new eyes, and bared his teeth.

"Kyuubi, I'm going to need some chakra, please."

"How much?"

Naruto looked at the fox without a drop of fear in his eyes, and without hesitation said, "As much as you can give."

"All this for a girl you never gave the time of day to?"

Naruto stiffened from the jab, but his resolve remained.

"That is something I hope to remedy, if you would only help."

"I will, only because I wish to see the outcome."

"Thank you." Naruto said with sincerity.

Naruto became aware to the outside world again and saw Hinata still looking at his eyes. Her eyes then widened as Naruto felt a surge of power go through him.

"Hinata, I'm going to need you to look into my eyes. OK? Don't blink."

The world around them swirled out of existence, and both of them were surrounded by a calm red light. The ceiling gave way, and sky above then turned a dark red. They then stood alone, in a barren field.

Hinata, no longer constrained to a bed, looked around and back to Naruto.

"What is this?"

"A chance both of us never got to have." Naruto answered.


	2. Regretful Revelation

Hinata looked at Naruto in confusion, and her eyes widened when she noticed his red eyes.

"You have the sharringan?" She asked.

"Sasuke gave them to me, as a parting gift."

She came to the realization of what his sentence meant and asked another question.

"So what is this around us, exactly?"

"This is one of the powers these eyes have." He said while gesturing to his eyes. "Something called Tsukuyomi."

"What does it do?"

"From what I understand, it creates a world that the user has complete control of. It lasts for 72 hours usually, but with the amount of chakra I pumped into it, who knows how long it'll stay up." Naruto said while stroking his chin with a thoughtful expression.

"That's very interesting, but why am I here? Shouldn't I be on my mission?"

Naruto visibly stiffened, and his mouth stretched into a straight line.

"Hinata," he pauses, looking for words. "How much do you remember?"

"I was walking back from my mission, then I wake up and see you, and that's when you pulled the technique."

"Hinata, you're in the hospital. Something went south during your mission."

"What? My family must be worried sick! I need to go tell them I'm fine."

"Hinata." Naruto said lightly. Hinata does not seem to hear him and carries on.

"Naruto, can you turn this technique off, I need to go tell them."

"Hinata." He said with slightly more definition, but with an equal amount of sadness. She heard him this time, and she voiced her confusion with a question.

"What is it, Naruto?"

"Hinata, the reason why I did this was," He stopped and looked around him anxiously. He then swallowed and turned to face her again. "I did it to slow it down."

"Slow what down? Please be clear for me." She said in a worried tone.

He clenched his fist and decided to get it over quickly.

"You're dying."

"I'm what?" She asked incredulously.

"Your condition when you got to the hospital was terrible, and it's only gotten worse. Tsunade told me that I should say my goodbyes." Hinata stood silent in disbelief, and Naruto continued. "I couldn't just let you die! I never talked to you after the fight with Pein, and seeing you on the bed I knew I had to do something."

Hinata seemed unaffected by his words, but not by her condition. Her legs gave out slowly, and she fell to her knees with her arms dangling by her sides. She looked at her arms in wonder. They looked to be in perfect condition in the fake world created by Naruto, but it was not the same case in the real world. She brought her hands up to her face and began sobbing.

"I had to bring you some closure. You know how much of an asshole I would be if I let you die without getting to know you?" Naruto, who was continuing his monologue, soon noticed the crying Hinata and stopped. He stepped to her side and felt sympathy for her. He did not know exactly how to deal with the current situation, but he decided to wrap his arms around her shaking form from behind.

"Hinata, I know that it sounds horrible, and it is, but you have to stay strong."

"I'm dying."

"Stop it. You are, but I'm going to make that transition as smooth and as soothing as I can."

"What's the point? It will all be for nothing."

"Hinata, you are not nothing and will never cease to be something. You are my friend, and you will stay my friend long after either of us dies." His grip around her tightened, and her sobbing lightened up. "I did this to prolong your life as long as I can, and to try and correct my neglect of you and your feelings."

Hinata became silent, and Naruto sat still. His arms were still around her, but no longer tightly wrapped to her. They sat in silence for what seemed like hours to them. That silence was eventually broken by Hinata's voice.

"So my death is inevitable?" She asked while turning her head to face him.

"From what Tsunade made it sound like, yes." Hinata lowered her head and turned away. Naruto thought she was going to shed more tears but was suprised when her posture straightened and she faced him confidently.

"Thank you for doing this."

"This isn't something that I should be thanked for." He said while rubbing his head. "I avoided you for the longest time."

"Now you want to right it, though. That's admirable."

"Are you alright, now?" His initial answer was a long sigh from Hinata, followed by more.

"I don't think I'll ever be completely." Naruto eased up and released her from his hold, then put his back against hers. She was sniffling away the last of her sadness when he materialized a tissue for her to use.

"So, what's next?" She asked.

"Getting to know you."


	3. Interesting Information

"Aren't we already introduced?" Hinata asked. They were in the same class since the beginning. She thought that surely Naruto would remember something she would say to introduce herself every school year.

"I know your name. I want to know your likes, dislikes, hobbies, stuff like that. Y'know? Tell me them like how our squad leaders had us tell them. I'll do the Same."

"Uh. My name's Hinata, and I am a Hyuuga." She paused, but continued when Naruto made an enthusiastic rolling gesture with his hand. "I like training with my sister, reading, and people who are outgoing. I don't like senseless violence or scary movies."

"What do you want to be? What're your goals?" Naruto questioned.

"I want to be a medic, or at least capable of helping. I also want to be more confident."

"That's great! Now it's my turn." He turned himself over so he was lying on his stomach, and faced Hinata, with his two hands propping up his head. "My name's Naruto Uzumaki, and I like ramen, training, toads, explosions, exploring, and people important to me. I don't like traitors, snakes, boredom, or waking up minutes before your alarm clock. My dream is to be Hokage, but for now, it is to get to know you."

"Waking up before your alarm goes off?"

"I hate it! It's too late to go back to sleep, and I could have slept for more!" he said animatedly. Hinata covered her mouth but was not able to stifle her laugh. Naruto smiled and looked away and into the distance while shaking his head in lightheartedness.

"It's nice to meet you, Naruto." Hinata said, which made Naruto turn his head back to her. There was an arm outstretched, with a small hand in an open fist halfway between the two. Naruto's smile grew wider, and with great enthusiasm he met the hand with his own.

"Fantastic to meet you. To actually get to know you." They shared a smile together before their hands moved closer to their respective bodies' sides.

"You have very calloused hands." She said.

"Uh, yeah. Your hands are very soft, like rabbit fur." Naruto said and immediately felt like hitting himself. Hinata's eyes gave a look of concern and confusion.

"What?"

"Too creepy, I know."

"Rabbit fur?"

"I'm not good with compliments!" He said with a flushed face. Hinata laughed at his misfortune but Naruto decided to change the subject.

"It's getting late, isn't it."

"How long have we been here?"

"I don't know, I don't even know if time passes here."

"Well, you control this, don't you?"

"Oh yeah, I do. I'll make it night, I guess."

"Won't we need a place to sleep?"

"Don't worry, I'll cover that, and while I'm at it I'll change the scenery." He said before the world before them changed from a desolate land of red sky into an expansive forest with a beautiful moon illuminating the dark canvas above. A small house then materialized behind them.

"It's beautiful around here now." She said.

"I based it off of the forests around Konoha. I did let my imagination wonder a bit, though. So, to the house shall we go?" He said while extending his arm to Hinata.

"Sure." She said while taking his hand into her own.

"This marks the first day, hopefully of many." Naruto moved towards the house in an excited jog, making Hinata get pulled by him slightly, like how a large dog pulls on their master.

The house was as simple as it looked on the outside. The kitchen and living room were separated by the changing of linoleum to hard wood and a long, low standing island. The kitchen and living room were occupied by standard items and furniture. There was a hallway that led from the living room and had three doors along it's length.

"Which doors lead to what?" Hinata asked, intelligently.

"First one's the bathroom, the other two are bedrooms."

"Will we even need to use the restroom in this technique?"

"Would you rather have a house without a bathroom? I can get rid of it."

"No, I think it would be strange to have a house without one." They sat at a cushion's distance from each other on the couch while Naruto created a set of playing cards. They played a few games of war and slapjack until Naruto got up to look at the clock.

"What time is it?" Hinata said from the couch.

"Quarter after ten. We should probably get to bed."

"I agree."

They walked down the hallway where the doors to their rooms stood.

"Goodnight, Hinata. Today was fun."

"Goodnight, Naruto. I enjoyed spending time with you."

"See you tomorrow."

"Mhmm."


	4. Expedition

Naruto woke up with a jolt, then mentally hit himself. He was not falling, no matter how much it felt like he was. He wondered why that even happened to him, the feeling of falling followed by his body shaking itself. Must have something to do with the brain, he thought.

He shook his head free of the drearyness that clung to it with quick movements. He looked out his window to see the sun shining down onto the house's porch. While turning around and heading for the door, he fixed the jacket that he wore. With it in place and unzipped, he put his hand on the knob and turned it.

His form was in the doorframe to his own room, but his eyes observed the door to his roommate. It was the same as his, a dark wood that was of a semigloss finish. He put his hand in a fist and was in the motion of starting his first knock when the door in front of him opened.

A sleepy looking Hinata emerged from the room and was immediately tapped by Naruto's knuckles. Her eyes widened in surprise and she instinctively flinched and covered her forhead.

Naruto, seeing what he had done, quickly retracted his hand and offered an apology.

"You don't need to apologize," She said. "It didn't hurt, I was just startled."

"I still should have been paying more attention. I must still be sleepy."

"Speaking of being tired, should we even be? This is a technique, no fatigue should be present."

"The creator, me, wishes for it, and so it shall be done." Naruto said in a tone of aloofness. His tone did a turn of 180 degrees in a fraction of a second and he asked her a question.

"Want coffee?"

"That would be wonderful."

"C'mon." He said while walking down the hallway, waving his hand foward as he did so. He then manuevered his hand and pointed to the couch, where they sat down.

Naruto made a sweeping motion with his right hand over the coffee table while he put his left hand in the air. In the left hand, a small coffee pot materialized, and where his right hand passed, two cups appeared.

Hinata did a small clap, and Naruto dropped the coffee pot. It fell fast, but before it shattered on the wood floor, it stopped. Naruto lifted his hand and the pot levitated above the two cups and poured out its contents into the cups.

"Now you're just showing off." Hinata said.

"You were still impressed." He said while closing his fist. The coffee pot that was in the air disappeared. He opened his hand and showed it to Hinata. In his palm were cubes of sugar, and on his face was a questioning expression with a raised brow.

"Two." She said, and Naruto tossed two of the sweet cubes into her cup, and one into his own. He leaned over and picked up the cups and handed one to her.

They each took a few sips of the hot liquid before Hinata set hers down and faced Naruto.

"Naruto," She began. "Could we drink the rest outside? I usually drink mine in the Hyuuga's courtyard during the warmer mornings."

"Sure, I'm sure it's beautiful outside." He said with a smile. Of course it would be, he thought. He _was_ going to make their time together the best it possibly could be, after all.

Hinata sat on the last step to the porch while Naruto leaned against the railing. They sipped their coffees in a comfortable silence until they finished. Without coffee occupying their mouths, small talk was being tossed to and fro.

The somewhat meaningless conversations came to a halt though, when a chipmunk crossed in front of the two.

"It's cute." Hinata said. Naruto nodded his head in silent agreement. He looked at the chipmunk with kind eyes, and it made its way towards Hinata. It stood at the base of the steps with large, pleading eyes looking up to Hinata.

"If only I had some food for you, little guy." A small amount of time after she said that, she felt a weight on her lap and looked down to see a bag of bird feed sitting there.

"You make this too easy, Naruto." She said. Naruto rubbed the back of his head while grinning.

"I don't know what you're on about."

The chimpmunk eventually scampered away, and with its leaving so did the feed. Naruto, not one to let such a beautiful day go to waste, suggested exploring their surroundings. Hinata thought it was a great idea.

The forest around them was very lively, with noises of many animals ringing out through the trees. The undergrowth was thick and lush, and it felt soft under their feet as they traveled along their own path that was not cut out of the greenery.

They stopped periodically to enjoy the stunning scenery that was presented before them. There was a pond with banks that slid into the water, a high hill that caught sunlight, a tall overlook, and a massive sequoia.

They sat at the top of the gargantuan tree with wonder. The land around them was vast, and the canopy below was hard to see through. They sat on the edge of the treetop for a decent time, but the setting sun waits for none.

"Hinata," He said. "Want to try something crazy?"

"Crazy? That can't be good." She said.

"It'll be fun!" He contested.

"Alright." She gave in and Naruto took her hand while materializing two giant leaves. He held the massive stem in his one hand and the end of the leaf in his other. Hinata copied him with interest.

He ran towards the end of the tree and jumped off, making Hinata's eyes widen with worry. She ran to the edge and looked beneath her, to see a large leaf slowly decending and getting smaller.

"I am not doing that." She said.

"Too bad you are. Right?" Naruto said.

"But you just jumped, I watched you."

"Funny how omnipotence works." He said. "Now, are you going to jump?"

"I really don't think that's safe."

"So you're not going?" He asked. His response was a nod from Hinata, so he began running towards her.

"What are you doing?"

"Motivating."

"You're going to run into me. Stop!"

Naruto lunged out of his sprint and took Hinata with him off the side. She took a large intake of breath and held onto Naruto tightly.

"Hold on." He said while the wind violently blew his hair.

"No, I think I'll let go of you!"

"Eh, you wouldn't die."

"Are you insane?" She asked, genuinely.

"No, I'm just trying to have fun."

"How is falling fun?"

"It's not the fall," He said while opening the leaf he held. It caught wind and brought their freefall to a leisurely descent. "This is the fun part."

Hinata, who had her face buried in Naruto's shirt, looked out and around. Seeing the forest from the top was fantastic, but gliding over it added more wonder.

"Woah." She said.

"See? It'd be fun." She gave him a bop on the head.

"You didn't have to tackle me to get here."

"You could've jumped with me. You can't die here. Remember?" Hinata was reminded of the fact and her face went into a solemn expression.

Naruto noticed this and asked her what was wrong.

"You're right. I can't die _here._ " She answered then put her face back into his jacket. By this time they were approaching their house, and they landed on Naruto's haunches in front of it with a graceful thud. Naruto stood up, and expected for Hinata to release the grip that she had on him throughout the flight. She did not, and her head was still tucked into his chest.

"Hinata, the rides over." He did not get an answer, and looked closer at Hinata. Her form was quivering slightly, and Naruto knew then that she was crying.

He took his arms and wrapped them around her, and began trying to calm her down.

"Hinata," He said reassuringly. "I didn't mean to bring that up."

"It doesn't matter if you did or not, it still is going to happen. I'm still dying."

"That may be true Hinata, but you have life right here, right now. I'm here, with you. I'll be with you 'till the end. You have to live these last moments to the fullest, and I'm gonna make sure you have the best life you can have!"

The sun came down, and Hinata eventually calmed enough for them to go inside. They both walked to the end of the hallway and looked at each other. Naruto leaned down and hugged Hinata, and she thanked him for an eventful day. They then turned and opened the doors to their separate rooms.

Naruto, while on his bed, looked to his nightstand. He outstretched his hand and put his finger next to a mark in the table's side. He dug his nail into the wood and made a second tally. He retracted his hand and put it under his head before closing his eyes.


	5. A Day in the Life of Tsukuyomi

"And then, he gets pissed on by Akamaru!" Naruto said before giving a hearty laugh. Hinata giggled while swirling her drink.

They were sitting across from each other at the dining room table, enjoying their dinner together. It was a small table, enough for two to sit comfortably.

Naruto had just finished retelling a story from his academy days, and Hinata listened with interest. She had told her own stories, not as rambunctious as Naruto's, but stories nonetheless. She learned a lot about Naruto through his stories. Like how he would skip class often, and that he would stay up late trying to understand lessons, only to be asleep in class the next day. Hinata's stories also informed Naruto.

They finished their meals soon after, and Naruto took up their plates to the sink. He turned the water on after he scraped off the scraps. He put one plate under the water, and scrubbed it free of food. He was about to grab the next plate but stopped when Hinata addressed him.

"Couldn't you just make them vanish? You do have the ability, after all." Naruto froze for a second before picking up the next plate and repeating the cleaning process.

"Some things are better to do than to not."

"You just forgot you could." She said confidently with her arms crossed. Naruto's face flushed, and he shook his head quickly.

"Nuh uh!" He then closed his hand into a fist and the plates existed no more.

"Then why'd you do that?"

"Do what?" replied Naruto, intelligently. He scooted away from the sink with his hands behind his back, as if to hide something from view.

"You got rid of the plates, and don't think I missed you doing it. You still have your fists closed though."

Naruto's hands were indeed closed, and it looked as though he was going to form something with his omnipotence at any time.

"What are you making?" Hinata questioned. Naruto brought his hands to the front of his body in a slow motion, making a spectacle of his creation that rested in his enclosed hands. He brought his arms out as far as they could stretch, and he turned his fist so his covered palm was facing the ceiling.

Hinata was a silent mouse as Naruto slowly unclenched his fist. Bright light escaped his hand in a flash, before his hands became completely flat. On his palms resided nothing but the air that floated around them.

"Huh?" Hinata said while inspecting his hands with great bewilderment. She found nothing out of the sort, and backed away.

"You didn't make anything." She said with disappointment.

"Nope. Just wanted to make a show." He said while smiling. He then took his hand and made a sweeping motion. A small breeze blew through the kitchen, and brought comfort to the two of them. The breeze, though small, had enough force to blow a small bit of Hinata's hair into her face.

Naruto pointed to it, and Hinata decided that its location was to be changed. She took it and brushed it back behind her ear. While her hand was near her ear, she felt it brush up against something foreign. She picked it out of her hair and found it to be a flower.

She brought it close to her face and scrutinized It. It was a pale purple, and had many petals dancing around the center. The stem was cut short, but still was present. Its length allowed it to fit securely in her hair.

She lowered the flower and gave Naruto a look. Naruto looked into her eyes, and answered the silent question she was giving him.

"I put it there when the flash came from my hands. And no, I didn't create that from nothing. I went out and found it for you. Because some things should be done by hand." He said while he walked up to Hinata. He took the flower from her hand and slid it in her hair, where it was before.

"There," He said while admiring the picture before him. "It really fits you."

"Thank you." She said.

"Don't mention it, I wouldn't think of-" The wind was squeezed out of him when Hinata hugged him. Naruto chuckled, then hugged back. The two separated, and made their way to the loveseat.

"We still have a bit of time before ten rolls around. What do you wanna do?" He said.

"I was thinking of doing something artistic."

"Like drawing?" His question was answered by a nod from Hinata.

"But what to draw I haven't decided on."

"How about the other chooses for you?"

"That could be fun." She said. Naruto made two sketchpads form in their hands, and pencils on the coffee table.

"The subject?" She said.

"Hmm... Mythical." Naruto said with the pencil tapping his chin.

"And yours will be... Outlandish." They each put their backs against the arm of the loveseat on their own sides and stretched their legs along the furniture. Naruto's legs went across both cushions and were propped up on the arm Hinata used as a backrest. Hinata's legs were placed on Naruto's and rested next to his side.

After ten minutes of quiet drawing, occasionally disturbed by Naruto's chuckles, they both were finished.

"On the count of three, turn them over."

"Yeah."

"One." She began.

"Two." He said.

"Three!" They said in unison. Both pads were turned over and their artwork revealed. Both participants studied their colleague's.

Hinata's drawing was of a minotaur, who had saved a unicorn from being entangled in thistles. It was drawn neatly, and there were no eraser or smear marks to be found on the paper. Naruto's was a mess. It looked to be a man with a massive structure protruding from his back. It had many compartments, and pointy tipped objects in them.

"What are those?"

"They're massive kunai projectiles, and what's on his back is used to launch them."

"Is that a cat?"

"That is his cat Morgundo. He supports him and gives him guidance when he is struggling against the dark forces."

"That certainly is outlandish."

"Thanks. Yours is mythical." They shared a laugh then got up and walked down the hallway. They stopped in front of their respective doors like they had done many times before. They gave each other one final hug before closing their doors.

Naruto walked over to his bed and sat on it. He took his finger and added a new tally to the count.

"34." He said in wonder. "Time sure does fly."

The time he had spent with Hinata was fantastic. It had its difficult moments, but so far it was going great. He knew Hinata well, and she was quickly becoming one of his most precious persons.

His eyes closed and a smile slowly faded away as sleep took him.


	6. Confrontation

The steady sound of water being disturbed was what Naruto became concious to. He sat up from his reclined state into ankle deep water. Ripples danced across its surface with each subtle movement. Leaky pipes allowed water to drip from their cracks and into the water, and sometimes onto Naruto.

Naruto was not bothered by the occasional drop that hit his form, or by any of the water that soaked him. The water was unnoticable to all but vision; it felt, smelled, and, tasted like nothing.

Water like this meant one thing for Naruto, and he did not know the reasons as to why the beast had brought him to its domain. Naruto, the ever curious ninja, decided to go find out.

Where he woke up was not where he usually found himself when the fox called for him. The corridors around Naruto were peculiar and foreign. It was like being summoned for the first time again.

Naruto was determined to find out what the fox wanted from him, so he picked a path and stuck to it. The tunnel was lined with pipes and the bolts that secured them. Cracks leaked fluids from them and covered the wall with water. The walls were also very slick, along with all cement that poked above the water. They were covered in a slimy, green vegetation that felt vile to the touch.

Naruto, after taking time to study the walls that surrounded him, trudged on. The water, in some places along his exploration, went above his waist. In others, it made a light smacking sound as his feet lowered onto it.

The water eventually returned to the ankle wetting depth that he began with, and the corridor's darkness was slightly stained by a gentle orange light. Naruto's feet carried him at a marginally faster pace, as if racing the light back to its source.

The tunnel he walked upon began getting lighter, and then the walls around him spread out to form a large perimeter around the new room. The room was massive, and dim torches surrounded the walls on two, parallel sides. On a side without torches, a massive wall with a white, swirling symbol stood boldly. On the other torchless side there was no wall, but a towering gate that stood rigid in the water, unaffected by rust that so typically affected metals.

Naruto stepped forward until he was a bodies length from the gate and could feel warm air come from the darkness in front of him. The black void that kept Naruto's interest was soon tore by two glowing, slitted eyes. The eyes reflected the torchlight like a cat's, and had slits for pupils too. The creature that they eyes resided in slowly came to the front of the cage, and its orange fur swayed as it moved. The fox sat down, looking at the human before him, before its booming voice shattered the frail silence.

"It took you long enough to get here. Didn't get lost, did you?"

"No. I took a scenic route this time."

"It's not like you had a choice." The fox said with a sharp grin.

"Gonna give the scoop as to why that happened?" His reply was the sound of air escaping the fox's nostrils. "No? Okay. Why am I here? Can that get answered?"

"I believe it can." Was the reply.

"So are you?"

"If you could wait for half a second, then I could tell you!" Naruto stopped and sat down, and he then gave the fox his undivided attention.

The beast paused for a brief moment, as if testing the boy's patience, before speaking.

"I've done some reflecting since you used the technique, and I see now that I should have never given you my chakra." Naruto looked confused and struck by the fox's words, and offered his own.

"Why?"

"Because after dwelling on it, it was a terrible idea."

"Saving Hinata, a bad idea? How in the world is doing that a bad idea! I knew you were a jerk, but this is insane!" Naruto's anger was greeted by the fox's own, who growled loudly.

"Saving! All you're doing is prolonging the pain! You're cruel! Your ignorance made the situation worse!"

"Worse," Naruto cut into the fox's yelling and stood up defensively. "I'm giving her a chance! I'm giving both of us a chance at something that she wanted for so long, and you think that's worse than her never getting a chance in the first place!"

"But think about it you brat! This illusion is not going to last forever, and when it ends, Hinata is still is going to die! You're going to give her this dream, with you, only for it to be stolen from her as soon as she wakes up! That's cruelty, inhumane! I am all about destruction, but this savagery caused by you _helping_ disgusts me!"

Naruto looked visibly strucked by the fox's words, and his eyes widened with fear. His fist clenched and he looked up at the fox angrily, but with watery eyes.

"What the hell was I supposed to do! She was dying, damn it! She was dying and I was going to lose someone that I was too stupid to notice. How horrible of a person would I be, if I ignored someone who cared that much for me, and I didn't even do anything for her on her death bed!"

"So you did this to make yourself feel better about yourself? To clear up your failures as a friend?" Naruto shook his head back and forth violently, as if shaking the fox's questions away from his mind.

"I felt so bad for her. She's was dying there, and I could not let that happen. I had to do _something_ , I had to ease her pain. All I wanted to do was make it not hurt as much for her, but this makes it worse! Now I know she deserves so much better than this. She's so caring, so funny, kind beyond belief, beautiful... She's the perfect example of what a human should be. She's perfect but she's going to be taken away. Taken from her family, her hopes, her dreams..." Naruto mumbled the remaining of his monologue in somberness.

"But what's done is done, and it should run its course. But remember that your decisions may not always be the best for others. Be gone." With the spoken words of the fox, Naruto was ejected from the sewer that surrounded him, and onto his bed. The clock that sat by his bed glowed a light green, and the time displayed was one in the early hours of the morning. Naruto knew then that he was not going back to sleep.


	7. Celebrate Cinnamon

Hinata's eyes fluttered open in a lazy movement, and she escaped sleep's grogginess by moving onto her back. She stared up at the ceiling fan above her bed. It was spinning slowly, but it was still difficult to track the individual blades. She effortlessly gazed at the moving object and smiled as she felt the gentle air cool her.

The prospect of staying the bed was appealing to her, but her nose was bombarded by the smell of food. It was enticing enough to get her to crawl out of bed and open her door. She started down the hallway with quiet steps, and they got slightly heavier as she progressed down the hall. The wood beneath her feet soon turned into linoleum, and she saw where the smell was originating from.

Naruto stood in front of the stove with an apron tied tightly around him. His hands were caked with a light layer of flour, and his jeans had white streaks of it from where he wiped his hands. In his one hand was the handle to a pan, and the other was tapping against the counter. Around him were measuring cups, big bowls, and ingredients.

Hinata stood up on the tips of her toes in an attempt to see what Naruto was in the process of cooking. Her action was in vain, as the boy towered above her and his wide torso blocked her vision. The movement was enough to alert Naruto of the girl's presence, so he turned slightly as to face her. He smiled widely and offered a good morning that was enthusiastically returned by Hinata.

"What are you making?"

"It'll be a surprise."

"Oh, come on. You know I don't like to be left out of things."

"Well, you'll get to know eventually," A ring from the oven made Naruto crouch down to open it. "I guess you get to find out now. Not so bad, is it?"

Naruto grabbed the burning hot pan from the oven with a gasp from Hinata. He stood up and looked confused for a second, and noticed that she was pointing at the pan in his hands.

"What, do you like cinnamon rolls that much?"

"You're not wearing oven mitts!" Naruto looked down at the steaming pan and recoiled in an instant, retracting his hands far from the pan. It fell to the floor and landed without any of the contents falling out. Naruto inspected his hands intently, trying to see the damage that had been dealt. There was not even a tinge of redness, and Naruto soon realized the reason as to why. Naruto's face was impassive as he looked up to Hinata, who was having trouble breathing from all the laughter that was escaping from her.

"You can't get hurt here. Remember?" She said between giggles. Naruto's blank expression soon took on a comical one in an awkward transition, and he began laughing at himself.

The laughter soon ended, and Naruto picked up the rolls and set them onto the table. He pulled a chair out for Hinata and went back over to the stove where the bacon and eggs were sizzling away. He picked both of the pans up by the handles and walked over to the table while a stack of a couple plates followed him in the air. They set themselves on the table, and Naruto dished out breakfast onto them.

"You don't usually make breakfast this early, or with any cinnamon rolls. Why are you doing this today?"

"I was having trouble sleeping, so I decided to get out of bed and do something instead of wasting time. Also, I wanted to do something to thank you for being such a fantastic friend."

Hinata blushed and looked down. "Thank you."

Naruto stabbed an egg with his fork and brought it up to his mouth. "Im the one who's saying thank you. All you need to do is enjoy what you deserve."

Hinata nodded her head and began eating with him. Naruto's cooking was complimented, and they chatted happily while eating. They finished their meals and Naruto used his control over the realm to remove the mess made. The two eventually made their way to the living room, where they sat and drank their coffee.

With their cups empty and their hunger satisfied, the two sat together in comfort. Naruto faced Hinata with a strange facial expression, and said her name.

"What is it?"

"Hinata, do you know," He stopped talking and swallowed, as if to keep the words down. "Do you know that this will all end?"

Hinata's good mood sunk from the question, but she answered the question without hesitation. "I've known that since the day you told me. I'm not OK with the outcome, but no one would be. I know that it'll all end, Naruto, but nothing can change that. All I can look to is the time we'll spend together, here. So instead of worrying about the end, I want to celebrate what's here, right now. I don't want your efforts to go down the drain just because it is a temporary fix." She said confidently. Naruto leaned over a bit and gave her a hug. He let go of a breath as his fear was killed by her words. He hugged her tighter before he let go a moment later. The smile he usually wore came back in full force, and his teeth were showing.

"Well," Naruto began. "Let's not waste such a prefect day, eh? Let's go explore, maybe go swimming in a stream or two?"

"I'd love to, Naruto." Hinata said. The two got up and made their way to the porch, where they decided on a direction to begin their journey. The grass felt great against their feet, and the sun warmed them up perfectly. They swam in streams, like how Naruto suggested, and laughed together joyfully.


	8. Monolithic View

AN: Sorry for not uploading at my usual time (Saturday) I had a busy week with it being Memorial Day on Monday. To make up for it I will try to upload two to three chapters before Sunday. Thanks for your patience.

Laughter traveled along the walls softly. The two sat at the kitchen table, where breakfast was sitting. Sunlight filtered through the opened screen door and scampered along the walls. The light blanketed their sides and warmed their exposed forearms.

Naruto shoveled food into his mouth with his fork while keeping the plate up against his mouth. Hinata watched and ate her own meal in a more dignified manner; an amused smile lived on her face. Naruto expectedly finished eating his breakfast minutes before she did, and waited patiently at the table for her. His right leg bounced and jittered while he kept his foot resting on its ball. He found interest in his shadow that stretched across the room and into the living room. It was far longer than the height he had, and he moved his arms crazily to make the silhouette look more outlandish.

Hinata set her fork down and onto her plate with gentleness, but it was still enough of a drop that the action let out a sound. Naruto turned to face her and saw the empty plate. He snapped his fingers once and the plates along with the leftovers disappeared. He then put his elbow on the table and rested his chin onto his open palm.

"So, it's a fine day out. How about we go out?" Hinata gave a quick nod, and Naruto scooted out from his chair while extending a hand towards her. She gratefully took it and was helped off the chair. The two took a few steps to the screen door, where Naruto pulled the screen back and they stepped onto the porch.

"Which way do you wanna go?" He asked.

"Any way is fine with me."

"Is that so? How about we go out farther than we usually do? We got time."

"I'm fine with that. It's beautiful out, anyway."

"Can't argue." Naruto turned his body at an angle and walked forward, with Hinata just a step behind him. There were no paths that traced through the dense forests, but the plants obeyed their creator and his friend with great respect. They folded and made clearance for the two, and made sure that they did not obstruct the journey. The creatures also obeyed their master in their own abilities. The birds sang a beautiful tune, never orchastrated by humans. The deer bounded across the forest with grace and in captivating silence.

The sun blared down onto Hinata's pale skin and provided a heavy warmth on her back. They were walking with the sun's rising path, and soon the sun would be at its height. The star did not burn her nor did it cause her to sweat. The warmth it gave was inviting and never overbearing, and the breeze kept them cool and rustled the trees in a way that made the sound of mighty waters rushing through their journey.

The thick forest gradually thinned out into a vast grassland with large boulders scattered around the plain. The clear blue sky that wrapped around the horizon was a vast sea. Naruto, who had his hands behind his head, looked up and whistled.

"Sun's way up there. Probably around noon, y'think?"

"Very close. We have been walking for a while now."

"Do you want to stop for a bit?"

"If we could find a good spot, that would be great."

Naruto cupped around his eyes to keep the sun out and scanned around. With an outstretched arm he pointed at a massive monolith that scraped the empty sky.

"That would be a spot, wouldn't it?"

"If you're responsible for getting us up there, I have no problem."

"Alright." He said before he squatted down. His hands faced away from him and his arms rested at his sides. He wave his fingers, gesturing to Hinata.

"Piggy back?"

"Yeah. Hop on."

There was a slight pause, as if she was considering staying in the grass.

"Ok." She wrapped her legs around his waist and put her arms over his shoulders. Naruto lowered farther than before and tilted his head backwards to face Hinata the best he could.

"Hold on."

"I've had a death grip on you since I got on. I don't know what's in your head, and I remember the last time we went up something as tall as that." She said before she nodded to the massive stone that towered above them.

"You've learned. That's no fun." He said as he jumped. Dust shot off from the ground and the two flew into the sky. Hinata's hair flew wildly around her, but suddenly stopped flailing. She looked around and saw that they were no longer flying upward, but they weren't falling either. They were at the apex of the jump, and soon to be in descent.

The landing was graceful, and Naruto's shoes clapped against the stone surface. He lowered his frame for the second time and felt her weight leave his back. He stood up and arched backwards while pushing his back with his hands. Hinata stood next to the edge overlooking the plains. Naruto walked up to her side and looked over with her.

"It really is beautiful."

"Yeah."

"You can see for miles, and the forest looks so far away."

"It won't take long to get back. We can take a shortcut." Hinata nodded her head and turned around before taking steps to the opposite ledge to take a look at the land in front of them. The tall grass, gently following the wind, seemed to stretch on infinitely. Hinata was soon joined again by Naruto who covered his eyes again in an attempt to see farther.

"What's that?" He asked, pointing far out on the horizon. Hinata stared in the direction but could not see what he was pointing to. She activated her byakugan and was able to see more clearly. Something out in the distance, Hinata saw, was making a dark, shadow-like image on the ground.

"Something dark." She said. Naruto looked at her with pleading eyes, and she nodded her head.

"Alright. Time to go see what it's all about." He said while he crouched down again. Hinata smiled at his eagerness, and straddled his back.


	9. Darkness, Imprisoning Me

"What do you think it's gonna be?" Naruto asked as they walked towards the mysterious darkness. They had made significant progress to it from the monolith, and were beginning to be able to see it clearly. Hinata put her chin on his head and made a questioning face.

"Who knows? I would say something is casting a shadow over the area. It could also be something dark on the ground."

"I don't see anything above in the sky that would cause a shadow, so that's out. I guess we'll find out when we get there." He said as he looked at his feet carry him and Hinata through the shin-high grass that stretched on for eternity. Hinata looked forward, and kept her Byakugan trained on the area of their attention. She did not see anything except for the darkness that lingered in the distance. That was the problem; she did not see anything. The Byakugan was able to see all kinds of chakra, and it was all around them, in the grass, trees, and the boy that carried her. The lack of energy in the darkness led Hinata to believe that it was something devoid of anything, as scientific as that sounds. She kept it to herself though, as Naruto seemed to like the way his feet looked when they moved.

The two walked up very close to where the dark presence blanketed the ground and were looking upon its vastness with incredulous expressions. The darkness stretched behind where it came for what looked to be eternity, and it went either direction with the same manner. Naruto took steps closer to the edge of the blackness and bent over to see down onto it. He could not see anything and bent down farther. The presence, or lack of presence, as Hinata saw it, still revealed nothing to the boy.

While looking into it, Naruto's foot fell as the ground underneath it gave way. To save himself from falling into the blackness, he jumped up high and landed behind Hinata, while clutching his chest.

"Geez that scared me!"

"How did you even trip?"

"I didn't. The ground gave under my foot!"

"How did that happen? This seems to be solid ground for a good depth." She said while she stomped the ground once to prove her point.

"We'll take a look at where I kicked a chunk out of the ground." He said while pointing to where he fell. The chunk was there, but it was not nearly as large as the initial kickup Naruto left when the ground fell. Naruto noticed this, and scrutinized the earth with great caution, to prevent another slip. The darkness was slowly creeping, and eventually swallowed the entirety of the chunk of dirt that was missing from the ground. Naruto took a few quick steps back, and Hinata did the same.

"It's eating the world!" He said with surprise. He was correct, and everything the moving force touched was instantly covered and desintegrated in a slow way. The blackness moved together like a mighty tidal wave going extremely slow.

"What is this thing?" Hinata asked with worry.

"I don't know, but we can think about _what_ it is back at the house, far away from here!" He crouched down and Hinata quickly got on, and the two shot off at breakneck speed. The darkness had no chance of catching up, or even remotely being close to the two, but they did not slow down. The sliding glass door was eventually within their reach and it was quickly opened. Naruto made it to the coffee table before Hinata hopped off of him and took a seat on the loveseat. He sat down next to her and faced her with concern.

"That thing can't be good. It's destroying the world, and it's moving, even if it is moving slow."

"I want to know what it is, exactly. I know it can't be good, but maybe there is a way to stop it."

"But how are we going to find out?" He asked.

"We have no clue what it is, but maybe the Kyuubi does."

"You think?" His reply was a nod. "Okay, wait here for me."

Naruto closed his eyes and concentrated on meeting the fox. He soon felt water surround his feet and opened his eyes. He knew this part of the sewer system, and took quick steps towards his destination. The walk was a short one, and the tunnel he was in expanded into a familiar grand room that was large in size.

The Kyuubi sat behind its cage with an unreadable face. Its eyes followed Naruto with little concern, and went stagnant when Naruto stood in front of the thick metal bars. Naruto sat down into the ankle deep water and crossed his legs in an attempt to get more comfortable. He knew the Kyuubi liked to have monologues, and what he was about to ask was a sure way to get one from him. He looked at the beast's eyes but did not say a word. The silence soon caused the fox to speak up.

"Are you going to ask the question or not?"

"I figured you would just go on talking. I know you know what I was going to ask."

"It's weakening." The fox said cryptically.

"What is?"

"The Tsukuyomi. It's weakening and the result is its reality failing. That darkness you saw was the ability failing to keep up the illusion. It's moving slowly now, but as time goes on I say that the illusion will have more and more trouble staying."

"Is there any way to revert it?"

"Definitely not. You put so much chakra into the technique, but it is only going to last so long. When your chakra runs out, the technique will collapse."

"How long do we have?" Naruto was desperate for answers.

"Hard to tell. If it stays the same speed it will take a while. If the speed grows exponentially, I would give it a few weeks in here."

Naruto had a serious and grave look on his face, but still offered a thank you to the Kyuubi then left. The fox, alone after the boy left sighed and muttered something about poor kids.

Naruto opened his eyes back up to see Hinata looking at him intently. She had not moved an inch from her spot, and she was obviously waiting for him to spill the news onto her. He told her, and she became just as worried as he was. Naruto offered a tight hug to her, something she took quickly and something they both needed desperately.

"Hinata," He began, "Let's make the last days we have the best of them all."


	10. Blinded by the Light

After the discovery of the creeping darkness that was eating the world away as they stood, the two did as Naruto promised and tried to make the last days, as many as there were, the best of them all. The two enjoyed the time they spent together, even with the world crumbling before them. They had not ventured out far enough to see the engulfing blackness, but in their heads they each knew its arrival was inevitable. They were right in their thoughts, for the dark blanket slugged along and in its wake was nothing. The edges of the world fell in uncermonious silence, into the blackness.

As Naruto scratched the number 71 into his nightstand, he smiled at the amount of time the two had spent together. The last few weeks had been fantastic in his opinion, and they truly were the best days they had while in the illusion. His smiled dropped soon after though, as the memory of the desintegrating world came back to the front of his mind. It had been a while since the discovery of it, and Naruto grew anxious. It could be anywhere at this point, and Naruto knew that. It could be as far as the grassland, or as chockingly close as their front porch. The thought alone cause Naruto to sit up and stare at his door. He was in a state of thinking before he quickly got up and turned his doorknob.

He exited the hallway and reached the kitchen before pushing the blinds away from the sliding glass door. The door soon followed the blinds in movement, and Naruto stepped outside into the cool night breeze. His legs and chest were bare from being only in sleepwear, but the cool wind did not chill him, he did not allow it to. With a crouch and a jump he flew into the air and looked around.

What he was searching for was quickly found, and he jumped down onto the edge before taking a few steps back. It was not incredibly close to the house, but it was moving quicker than it's initial pace. He watched it carefully for a few minutes, studying its movements. Worried that he was taking too long, he jumped high up in the air a second time, and judged the distance from the house.

Naruto frowned, and hot breath escaped his nostrils in an angry sigh. The darkness would reach the house within the next couple days, and he could do nothing to stop it. He shook his head to clear his anger, and headed back home. He made a conscious effort to not wake Hinata, who was asleep across the hall. He slowly turned his door back open and got into his bed. He stared up at his own ceiling fan, which was spinning lazily.

Determination filled his eyes and he hit his fist against his chest. He would act like tomorrow had no danger, for Hinata's sake. How he would do that he had not figured out yet, but he knew rest would help him. He closed his eyes and turned his body away from the nightstand and towards his window.

The sunlight provided a welcomed warmth to Hinata, who was just emerging from her sleep. The light cracked through the blinds and was hitting her arm, which soon became her whole body as she pulled the blinds up. The sun was low on the horizon, signaling that it was early morning. She heard a knock on her door and whipped her head around to see Naruto with his head sticking out from the crack.

He smiled and offered a good morning, which Hinata returned. The two walked down the hallway quickly and sat down at the kitchen table. Naruto dragged his hand above the table in a sweeping motion and food appeared below it. Hinata noticed that there were numerous foods, some not traditionally on their table. She gave a questioning glance to Naruto, who smiled awkwardly.

"What's the occasion?" She asked.

"With you, I don't need one." She smiled at him and began eating. They ate together happily, enjoying the other's company. Naruto sweeped his arm across for a second time to clear the trash and kitchenware from the table. He walked over to the glass door and slid it open, then turned his head towards her.

"Did you enjoy breakfast?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Good." His answer confused Hinata, but she was not able to dwell on it long. "It's a nice day out, beautiful even. You wanna sit in the porch, swing a bit?"

"That'd be great. Afterwards we can maybe take a walk."

"Yeah." Naruto said while looking out the door and into the forest, scanning the ominous shadows cast by the trees for something much more vile. Hinata walked up to him, and Naruto had to step out of the way for her to get outside with him. She took a seat on the porch swing and her right side was soon met with Naruto.

The two sat there, gently swinging back and forth while looking at the wildlife that scurried across their lush green lawn. The wind blew their hair and clothing into awkward directions, but neither cared. They were too enthralled with the beauty of the scenery and the fellowship between each other.

Eventually, Hinata decided that she had enough of the swing and stood up and stepped off the porch while gesturing for Naruto to follow her. He quickly caught up to her stride and they began walking. He scanned his surroundings like he did before the swing ride, and his alertness only increased as they got farther out. He heard what Hinata was talking about, but was not fully able to understand her. He was able to understand the pull he felt on the back of his jacket though, and the feeling of hitting the ground. He looked up at Hinata with full attention, and she pointed to the darkness a few feet in front of them. Naruto tilted his head down and watched it, and was startled at the speed it was spreading. He quickly got up and picked Hinata up by her waist, before flipping her over his shoulder. He bolted for the house before he took a large jump that landed them close the the porch.

He set her down and quickly ran to the front of the house and could see the blackness closing in from that direction. It was constricting in a circle, and the house was the center. He raced back to Hinata, who was slowly backing up from the fastly approaching darkness, and picked her up again and climbed up the side of the house and walked to what he believed was the middle. He set her down again, and he looked around in all directions like a frantic deer.

The darkness closed in on them like an omnipotent predator, and the two could do nothing but watch as their world came crumbling down into nothingness. Naruto still searched around him, in a futile attempt to find something that would alleviate his worries. He was not searching diligently enough though, as the darkness gripped the shingles under Hinata's feet and dissolved them, causing her to slip and begin to slide off and into the abyss. Her hand was caught by Naruto, who was trying his best to hold onto her and onto the small, cracking shingle that he grappled onto for life.

With a load snap, the shingle gave way under the weight. The two fell into the darkness with loud yells of worry and free fell while reaching out for each other in the blackness. Naruto was able to hook his finger around what felt like Hinata's jacket and dragged her closer. They embraced each other in a vain attempt to help with the frightening fall. They could not see each other in the blinding darkness. The darkness was soon phased out with the scorchingly bright light that encompassed their entirety.


	11. The Grand Illusion

The blinding light seemed to assault Naruto's eyes for an unbearable eternity. He could still feel Hinata's arm in his hand and her tight grip on his shirt. The light became impossibly brighter, and Naruto shut his eyes as tight as they could possibly be. It was not enough to ease the searing pain he was experiencing, so he made a regretful decision to cover his eyes with his hands. Even with his hands blocking his vision, his eyes still stung with pain, and wetness began to leak from them.

Naruto was able to overcome the pain and noticed that the brightness was no longer present in its intensity. He slowly moved his hands away from his closed eyes then quickly opened his eyes. They stung again from being reintroduced to the air. His vision was extremely blurry, but he could make out shapes and colors. He wiped more of the wetness from his eyes, and caught a glimpse of his hand. He brought it closer to his face, and his red hand faced him.

He could feel the blood move down his face and drip off his chin, only for it to polka dot the pristine white floor with a disgustingly red color. Naruto stared at the floor, it was familiar to him. He knew that he had been here before, and he began to realize his situation more clearly. The sound of beeping machinery further identified where he was. He swung his head up and squinted harshly, trying to find what he was looking for.

He spotted blue in a sea of white, and knew that he had found it. Found her. He stumbled over to her, inhibited from his terrible vision. He made it her bedside, and put his face close to hers to see clearly. He was inexplainably exhausted, and he put his mouth close to her ear.

"Hinata." Was the only thing he could utter. He could not think of any words, or any that had meaning for that matter. He did hear her breathing and making sounds. The noises were very similar to whimpers, and Naruto backed up a little to see her face. She was obviously sobbing, and in an attempt to comfort her, Naruto cupped her cheeks with his hands. Blood from his eyes stained her cheeks, making tribal like markings on her face. Her crying unexpectedly calmed, only for the beeping of the machine that was once steady to beep erratically. This worried Naruto and the medics on standby outside the room, who quickly entered it.

Naruto's eyes widened at the severity of the situation. This was the moment the two were dreading. This was the reason behind the whole illusion. Naruto had ignorantly disregarded the inevitability of the day, and now he was caught off guard. He stood there, unmoving and shellshocked. His mind was moving a mile a minute, and more liquid flowed out from his eyes. He knew it was no longer blood.

The machine's beeping became very fast, and Naruto knew that his time with Hinata was coming to an abrupt close. Naruto stared at the girl, whose eyes were glazed, but still held life, no matter how little. She looked terrified, as if she was trapped looking out while her body died without her. He cried harder and leaned over to get closer to her. The medics had just gotten fully into the room before her condition dropped even lower.

They looked into each other's eyes, their foreheads touching. Naruto realized now, in this calamitous moment, how much she meant to him. The medics had made it closer now, and Tsunade barked an order to clear the room. He kissed Hinata and soon felt a tug on his shirt, before being pulled completely from the room. He sat against the wall sobbing, until movement alerted him that it was over.

"Naruto." Tsunade said. "I've done all I can, but it's over." Although Naruto already knew that it was coming, it did not soften the blow. He was on his knees, hammering the floor with his fist while sobbing. Tsunade put her hand on his back, trying to console him.

"She's gone." He repeated.

"She was a good friend." Naruto shook his head.

"She is more than that. I love her." Tsunade's eyes widened.

"You love her?"

"After all the time we spent together, how can I not?"

"You love her," Tsunade's voice changed slightly, " _You're an idiot._ " Naruto was confused to hear those words, so he turned his head to face her and could see red where her eyes were. His eyes widened, knowing that red should not be there.

The walls around him collapsed in a terrifyingly supernatural way, and the ceiling tiles shook and lifted up to be carried away into the sky. Thick dust covered the area from the destroyed walls and blinded Naruto, who had to cover his face. When he removed his arms, his eyes widened for another time.

"Why so surprised?" Naruto looked down and to the ground, where the voice originated from. What he saw shocked him.

"Sasuke?"

"Yeah." He said. He was bloody and obviously dying, just like he was before he was buried.

"You should be dead! I buried you!"

"I have no doubt that I'll be dead, but you haven't buried me yet."

"What'dya mean?"

"It doesn't matter! What matters is that you've learned your lesson."

"My lesson? What lesson?"

"About Hinata."

"Hinata." Naruto said and was immediately saddened.

"Yes, you've learned a lesson about her."

"Sasuke, she's dead!"

"But see that's where you're wrong."

"Bullshit! I just saw her die!"

"Take a look around you Naruto! What do you see?" Naruto scanned the area intently and relayed his observation.

"It's the same place we fought at."

"This is also the same place we ended up at." Sasuke said, referring to where Naruto stood. "Naruto, what you experienced was the Sharingan's ultimate genjutsu. All you saw was fake."

"When did you put it on," Naruto realized, "When you looked me in the eyes! But why would you do that?"

"So you could see how much she cared. I've failed friends before, Naruto. It's a terrible feeling, and I could not let you fail any of yours. I put you into the technique to try and get you to realize how great she is, and how much she loves you. Call it my final gift to you."

"So she's not dead." Naruto said cautiously.

"Right."

"So you killed her in that technique so I would learn a lesson."

"That makes me sound like the bad guy in this situation."

"You are the bad guy!" Naruto said with tears in his eyes. He hit Sasuke lightly with his foot, thankful that Hinata was alive.

"Don't cry, I don't want any tears to fall on me."

"I'd hug you if you weren't such a prick."

"I'm glad I'm a cactus, then." Sasuke said while he caughed blood.

"Is it time?" Sasuke nodded. Naruto kneeled down to the man.

"Thank you. Thank you so much."

Naruto looked at the makeshift grave for the second time in his life, and sprinted off for home with urgency. He made it there quickly, and ran straight for the Hokage's office. He made it to the door and nearly kicked it off the hinges.

"Brat! What's wrong with you?"

"Is Hinata in the village?"

"What?"

"Is Hinata here?"

"She should be at home.

"Thank you!"

"Hey, wait!" He was already out of the tower when she finished. He sprinted as fast as he could muster on his way to the Hyuuga compound, making sure not to hit anything on his run. When he made it there he quickly went through the guards and into the main house, where Hinata lived.

There, in the private courtyard, was Hinata. She was training in her clan's techniques with her sister. Naruto sat down on the walkway that encompassed the perimeter and watched with constrained excitement. After she finished training, she saw Naruto sitting there and jumped with surprise. Naruto walked up to her slowly, and they began talking about meaningless subjects. That was until Naruto asked a simple question.

"Do you want to go out to eat with me?"

(AN: Did you expect an ending like that? I didnt either originally. Do you think it would have been better a different way?)


	12. Epilogue

"Ya know, Sasuke, I thank you every day for what you did." Naruto said as he stood at the grave where the last Uchiha was buried. The once disturbed soil was covered in grass, and the once shimmering sword was dull and splotched with rust. Naruto looked at the blade with somber yet satisfied eyes and lowered his head while scratching his jaw. A scruffy sound was made as his fingers brushed the beard on his face. A comfortable silence surrounded the lone man as he stared at the equally rusty headband.

"I know that I visit you often to tell ya how it's going, but today it's different." He paused and a smile formed on his face.

"Ya see, I'm gonna be a father. Hinata's pregnant with our first."

He practically glowed with enthusiasm while he spoke to the grave. "I came here to tell you that I'm gonna name him after you." He said as he looked skyward. He stared at the white clouds above for a moment, before he spoke again.

"Any objections?" He asked hesitantly. He looked left and right before letting out a sigh.

"Not even a word from you, pal?" He asked in a friendly way. The wind picked up and rustled his battlecoat.

 _"Idiot."_ Naruto could have sworn he heard the wind whisper. He swiveled his head around in an attempt to locate the source but there was not one. He chuckled at his own actions before looking back at the sword.

"Thanks, for everything." He said as he turned his back to the grave. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an inauguration to attend." The wind picked up even more, and his spiky hair swayed with the blades of grass. He took a step before halting his stride. He looked back at the grave one last time.

"You can expect me to bring Sasuke to come see you, when he's old enough." Naruto said as he waved at the memorial.


End file.
